This page is for the
exchange of genealogical information relevant to
early (pre 1848) Hispanic Californians
(also called Californianos or Californios) and their descendants.
We will include both question and answers, for the benefit of all the cousins of
the questioner.This sub page has been added to
ensure
(1) that the Queries page continues to load in a reasonable amount of time and
(2) that the older Preguntas and Respuestas are available to new visitors to our
Web site.

Los
Californianos does not guarantee the accuracy of any of the information appearing on this
page. It was collected and submitted by a family history enthusiast just like
you, and has not been verified. When you use this information, please realize
that it is meant to be a research tool, not a source of completely error-free
material. The genealogical information provided here should be a starting point
from which you continue your research. Please take the necessary steps to verify
all information before permanently adding it to your own collection of family
information. La Tejedora

Pregunta 190 - 6 April 2004

I am looking for verification of any early Spanish explorer or Californian
who was on top of Mission Peak in the Mission San Jose de Guadalupe area, now
Fremont, Calif., and who may have used "conquistador-style" spurs
during the Portolá exploration, de Anza exploration, or Moraga exploration
time-period. Can anybody help me? [Roan McClure (nonmember), Cave Junction,
Ore.]

Pregunta 189 - 6 April 2004

Note: I am including this query on the off chance
that someone is aware of Alta California Cotas who returned to Baja California
and who might be the ancestors of George V. Cota. La Tejedora
As far as I know, my grandfather, George V.
Cota, was born in La Paz in 1898.
He then moved to Central California, Oxnard, Guadalupe Calif. to be exact.
Through my studies at Long Beach State, I became aware of a Manuel
Cota, who was
a rancher in California during the early 18th century. I'm just wondering
if there is any connection to my and my father's name? [Manuel Richard Cota Jr.,
(nonmember) Westminster, Calif.]

Respuesta a Pregunta 189 - 22 September 2004

My Great, Great, Great Grandfather was Manuel
Antonio Cota. His parents were Pablo
Antonio Cota and Rosa
Maria de Lugo. Manuel
was born 23 January 1779 at Mission San Antonio (California) and died 23 August
1826 and is buried at Mission San Carlos (California). He first married Maria
Gertrudis Romero about 1779 and had 7 children with her.
He later married Maria
Josepha Boronda on 29 September 1817 and had 1 child with her.
My information was provided by Avila Gardiner and is recorded in the Church of
Latter Day Saints' Family History Center under AFN: 2NTX-HG. [Howard Smith (member),
Trinity, Fla.]

Respuesta a Pregunta 189 - 3 May 2004

Yes, some Cota
family went back to Baja California. Manuel
Cota is my grandfather. I will check into it. [Pamela Ortega
Lima (nonmember), Santa Ana, Calif.]

Pregunta 188 - 6 April 2004

I am looking for information on Manuel
Corrales and Vicenta
Arias, who had several children, four I know of for sure, Manuel
Jr. (born 1877), Jose
Francisco, Carmen,
Nash,
and Charles
(born 1886). Manuel and Jose
were baptized at St. Joseph's in San Diego, Calif. in 1887 and 1890
respectively. From some information I have received, Manuel
Sr. was Spanish and Vicenta was a
native woman. I know nothing else about these relatives. [Dawn
Thompson (nonmember), Costa Mesa, Calif.]

Respuesta a Pregunta 188 - 13 June 2004

Historian Pablo L. Martínez recorded vital records from most of Baja California
in Historia Familiar de Baja California. Included in the civil marriage
records are the following:Vicenta Arias married
Espiridión Córdoba
on 1 April 1871.Vicenta Arias married
Manuel Corrales
on 16 June 1873 at Real del Castillo.
Included in the birth records of Ensenada is the following:Ignacia Corrales
was born 26 February 1873 in Real del Castillo. Her father, Manuel
Corrales, was born c1845 in Suaqui, Sonora, "de raza
mexicana no indígena" (non-Indian Mexican), son of Ignacio
Corrales and Guadalupe
Córdoba, both natives of Sonora. Her mother, Vicenta
Arias, was born c1857, "de raza mexicana no indígena",
daughter of Bernardo
Arias and Jesús
Soto, both natives of Sonora. [Rondi Frankel (nonmember),
Mexico City, D.F.]

Pregunta 187 - 19 March 2004

I am on a quest to find information on my great, great grandfather Francisco
Castro, who was married to Maria
Antonia Littlejohn, and their son Juan
(John)
Castro,
whose first wife was Carmelita
Alviso. Francisco's
father was Don Rafael
Castro, who was married to Maria
Soledad Cota. The family lineage continues with Rafael's
father, Jose
Joaquin Castro, who married Maria
Antonia Amador, and the patriarch, Joaquin
Isidro Castro, who married Maria
Martina Botiller -- both of whom traveled with the second Anza
expedition.

The information - obits, photographs - we've found is about Rafael
and Maria
Soledad, but nothing so far on Francisco
and Maria
Antonia Littlejohn. My grandfather, Alfred
Gregory Castro, was the oldest son of Juan
Castro. We were given a very early photograph of Juan
with two of his sisters. I would appreciate any help. The Castro
line on our family continues on in 10 generations today! Muchas gracias! [Julia
Macias Brooks (nonmember), Wickenburg, Arizona]

Respuesta a Pregunta -- 26 December 2008
I'm responding to the Maria Antonia Littlejohn
relatives. I am also a great great granddaughter to Raphael Castro
and Maria Antonia
Soledad Castro. Maria Antonia
Littlejohn was my great grandmother's
mother. Francisco Castro and Maria Antonia Littlejohn: I have met a few
relatives on this site. We did have pictures of Maria Antonia
Littlejohn, but it was stolen off of the
wall by a relative in California. I was born in Salinas, California and all of
my relatives, including Maria, are buried
there. You can e-mail me anytime.
(abergstrom@nc.rr.com ) Hope to here from the Littlejohn side of the
familia. [Sarah Bergstrom (nonmember), Hope Mills, N.C.]

Respuesta a Respuesta 28 May 2004 - 23 September 2008

I am researching my husband's family. He is related to Santos Sancti Littlejohn
through his great grandmother who was one of Santos' daughters.
Her name was Eloisa Mary Littlejohn.
She married twice, once to Luisiano White and
the second time to a gentleman named Joaquin Dutra Silva.
I would like to share information on my husband ,Stanley Romero's Littlejohn's
links. I am interested in the query number 187 posted by a gentleman named
Howard Smith as he seems to have a sizeable amount of information. [Mary
Roberts Romero (nonmember), Snelling, Calif.]

Respuesta a Pregunta 187 - 28 May 2004

You are asking about my great grandmother, Maria
Antonia Littlejohn. She was born on 6 December 1836 and
died 7 June 1916. She had 18 children: number 13 Maria
Antonia "Simeona" Castro was by grandmother.

As it happens, my wife and I just returned from a genealogy research trip to
Arbroath, County of Angus, Scotland to research the Littlejohns.
I found family records going back to the early 1600s. I believe I found
the connection of the Scottish clan to the Castros of California. Send me
your e-mail address and we can correspond regarding the Littlejohns.

Would you be willing to share copies of your photos of the family? [Howard Smith
(member), Trinity, Fla.]

Respuesta a Pregunta 187 - 3 May 2004

Littlejohn
family are part of my ancestry. I am Pregunta 185. I will get back with
you. [Pamela Ortega Lima (nonmember), Santa Ana, Calif.]

Pregunta 186 - 19 March 2004

I am searching for information of my mother's paternal family. All I know is
that they were born in California in the early 1800s. They were good friends
with Governor Pio Pico. The family names our Luis
Estrada and Isabel
Aguayo. They owned land next to the San Gabriel River in the
Azusa/Duarte area and also in Pomona. Also the surname Aguirre has been
mentioned. They baptized all their children at La Plazita in Los Angeles. [Gail
Gonzalez Lopez (nonmember), Victorville, Calif.]

Respuesta a Pregunta 185 - 3 May 2004

My Cota
branches are from both Pablo
and Roque.
From Roque
it is through his daughter, Maria
Beatriz Cota, who married
Jose Joaquin Higuera; then from their son, Jose
Maria Higuera y Cota, who married his 2nd cousin, Maria
de Jesus Cota y Romero (daughter of Manuel
Antonio Cota y de Leon and his wife, Maria
Gertrudis Romero y Salgado. Manuel
is the son of Don Pablo
Antonio Cota y de Leon, who was Roque's
brother. Jose
Maria Higuera and Maria
de Jesus Cota were the parents of Maria
Gertrudis Higuera y Cota, who wed Don Bonifacio
Antonio Buelna y Rodriguez, baptized 14 May 1827 in Santa Cruz.
Initial information was from Nathan Olivas. [Mary Ryan (member), San
Francisco, Calif.]

Pregunta 184 - 7 March 2004

Geronimo
Joseph Francisco Arellanes was the son of Jose
Teodoro Arellanes, his birth was in 1812, marriage in
1839 (to whom?), in Santa Barbara, and death in Santa Barbara, the year? As you
can tell my information is very sparse. Yes indeed, any help I would greatly
appreciate. Thank you. [John L. Green (member) Rocklin, Calif.]

Respuesta a Pregunta 184 - 3 May 2004

Geronimo
(born 30 September 1812) married Petra
Ruiz and had three children. He married second, Barbara
Dominguez and had 11 children. I have dates of birth if you
are interested. My line is to Jose
Regino Arellanes. He was my third great grandfather and
brother to Jose
Teodoro. I have a picture of
Jose Teodoro if you would like a copy. I also have all of the
Certificate of Baptisms of all of the children. One other picture I have is Teodoro's
daughters. I have everything for Geronimo.
If you need these things send me an E-MAIL! Jam8Lrs@aol.com
. Note new e-mail address. Send me an e-mail and I will give you some
information. [James Larson (member), Paso Robles, Calif.]

Respuesta a Pregunta 184 - 19 March 2004

According to Dorothy Mutnick's books:Jose Francisco
Arellanes was born 30 September 1812; married 14 February 1831
to Petra Ruiz,
who then died in March 1838. Jose
remarried in January 1839 to Barbara
Dominguez. Her parents are listed as Jose
Francisco Dominguez y Feliz and Maria
Filomena Valenzuela y Quintero. All records cited were Mission
Santa Barbara registers. Mutnick notes that the family can be found in the
1860 federal census, in Santa Barbara County. Mutnick "ends" in
1852, so no death dates were given for the couple. Jose
Teodoro Arellanes y Lopez married Maria
Josefa Rodriguez y Parra on 4 March 1805. Each of them
had been married previously and widowed. [Julia Christy (member), Worland,
Wyoming]

Pregunta 183 - 7 March 2004

Last year I posted a question (#124) regarding finding information on my family.
Thank you all for your kind responses. One response that I have a question about
was posted by Sheila Ruiz Harrell. It states that my great, great grandmother
was a Native American and it appears that she was born in Los Angeles. What
puzzles me is that I always believed my ancestors were members of the Salinan
tribe. Actually, my great-uncle Johnny
Garcia was very involved with them. But if she was born in Los
Angeles, there is a possibility that I am of Chumash or Gabrielino
descent....would that be right? And where would I be able to find any birth
records or start to trace which tribe she belonged to? Any help would be greatly
appreciated.

I would appreciate any help that any of you could give me to point me in the
right direction. Thanks Again, Sherry [Sherry Donovan-Moser (nonmember), Nevada]

Respuesta a Pregunta 183 - 19 November 2008

Eloisa Boronda and
Joe Levenson are
quoted .Eloisa
would have been the step sister of my great grandmother
and apparently had written about the Borondas. Please
could you tell me where to find these papers, publisher and title of the book?
Thank you. [John Rotsart (member), San Diego, Calif.]

Respuesta a Pregunta 183 - 31 May 2007

Ms. Sherry Donovan-Moser - Would your Great Uncle be John Anthony [Blue Jay] Garcia?
Blue Jay was born
8 Feb. 1905B. in Jolon, Calif. He died 2 Nov. 1980 in King City, Calif.. His
mother was Mary Nattie Boronda
born 24 Dec. in Jolon, Calif. She was part Salinan Indian. His father was Jesus Victor Garcia who was born Feb. 1861 in San Luis Obispo
and died 2 March 1923 in King City, Calif.. If these are your relatives, you
would have some Salinan Indian blood running through your veins. Jesus was my great
uncle. My E-mail is jam8lrs@aol.com. I
have a lot of information on the Salinan Indian Tribe as I am the . Salinan
Tribal Historian. They are going for recognition in Washington in the near
future. Some of Blue Jay's
relatives are in the tribe. [James T. Larson (member], El Paso de
Robles, Calif.]

Respuesta a Pregunta 183 - 1 October 2004

Dear Sherry, On my ancestral paperwork, shows Francisco
Laureno Boronda's spouse as
Juana Maria Villa, 1836. Yet on the Indian Rolls it is Francisco
L. Boronda and Juana
M. Silla. Is that her Indian name. That is on Eloisa
Boronda and Joe
Livenson paperwork. Is that the same Juana?
I thought you might be interested. [Pamela Ortega Lima (nonmember), Santa Ana,
Calif.]

Dear Theresa A. Russell, Yes, my Grampa, Jose
Manuel Boronda, Sr. is listed in digger tribes. I need to talk
to you. Is there a way you can write me? Sorry, I got back with you late. I wasn't
on the computer for a month. I'm not on it all the time. Your Gramma is Juana
Cota Boronda. Her name is on there, too. My Gramma is Antonia
Maria Manuela Conception Cota-Lugo. Manuel
Antonio Cota -Lugo married
Josepha Bruna Boronda. They had my Gramma Conception.
I have a photo of her. Did you know my Gramma Josepha
Boronda Bruna is on Gila River tribes? Reach me at my email --
limapamela@aol.com. [Pamela Ortega Lima
(nonmember), Santa Ana, Calif.]

Respuesta a Pregunta 183 - 19 March 2004

Manuel
Boronda was married to Juana
Cota. I am a granddaughter of Jose
Manuel Boronda, Senior, and also Andrea
Cota and Pablo
Cota are my grandfathers. I have seen paper work about Juana
Cota and Manuel
Boronda, you would find them in the Digger tribes, Santa Ynez
tribes, and Cahuilla tribes. Hope you find what your looking for. [Pamela Ortega
Lima (nonmember) Santa Ana, Calif.]

Respuesta a Pregunta 183 - 7 March 2004

Sherry, the record I quoted was from the Thomas W. Temple II abstracts.
Because of errors found in his work, I have looked up a copy of the original
record from the San Carlos marriages. This record is very difficult to read but
the names are clear. There is no entry number, the two people are listed in the
margin as Francisco
Boronda y Juana Maria Villa.
In the body of the record I can read that he is "38 años y natural ---
Monterey con Juana Maria Villa hija de Reyes[?] Villa y de Pilar india
soltera de edad 30 años natural de Los Angeles y [??] en Monterey a la
presensia [? de [?] Boronda y Ma. Dolores Vasquez y varios otros."

From what I read in this record, Juana Maria Villa is the legitimate daughter
of Reyes Villa and Pilar (India). Juana Maria is single and 30 yrs old, natural
of Los Angeles and now lives in Monterey. There is no surname listed for Pilar
in this entry.

I searched through the Plaza Church baptisms, the abstracts by Mr Temple, and
found only two children listed for Reyes Villa and Pilar Garcia. I do not have
access to copies of the original records at this time but you might request the
film from your local Family History Center, LDS. I did not find a baptism for
your Juana Maria Villa, however there is one listed in the Temple abstracts for
"Antonio Maria Villa", no gender listed, but it if for the year that
would be right for your Juana Maria. It could be that Mr Temple misread the
first name. This would be Entry #820, Jan 31, 1838. In Entry #633, Oct 2, 1836,
Mr Temple lists Pilar with the surname of Garcia. As I noted above, there is no
surname listed for Pilar in her daughter's marriage to Francisco Boronda. Until
I see a copy of the original baptismal records for these two children I can't
fully agree that her name was listed.

My suggestion would be to contact Dr John Johnson in Santa Barbara for
information on connections with the Chumash or Gabrielino. He can be
reached at jjohnson@sbnature2.org

Pregunta 182 - 7 March 2004

Would like to find out if Francisco Marquez
was a soldier at the time of the land grant [Rancho Boca de Santa Monica, see
Query #86]. Also does anyone have any information about his son, Manuel,
born about 1835. He also has a daughter, Mercedes,
and a son, Francisco,
I would very much like to find out who their mother is. Mercedes
was born about 1857 and Francisco
about 1859. They were born prior to the two marriages that I have seen. Any help
would be much appreciated. Thank you. [Kimberly (nonmember), Braidwood, Ill.]

Respuesta a Pregunta 182 -- 27 October 2005

Francisco
Marquez and Mercedes
Marquez were the children of Francisco
Maria (Manuel) Marquez and Eselsa
???? I have a lot of information on these two families. Contact me
by e-mail for more information. Francisco
Marquez (son of Manuel
-- and so named in his will) and Rita
Dorame were my husband's grandparents. annytonym@earthlink.net
[Ann (nonmember), Canyon Country, Calif.] Note: It is
always appreciated if you would include this site in the exchange of
information. There are many who follow the query discussions who would find
such information helpful in their own research. La Tejedora

Respuesta a Pregunta 182 - 29 October 2004

Yes, Francisco's
son was Manuel.
His son was Alonzo. Alonzo's
sons were Gerald,
Donald,
and Paul.
Alonzo
died in 1982 in Morro Bay, Calif. His sons all moved to Oregon after WW II. Only
Gerald
is living. [Gary Marquez (nonmember)]

Pregunta 181 - 21 February 2004

My husband's grandfather was a descendant of the Mariano
Cordero and Pablo
Pinto families and his grandmother was a descendant of the Marcos
Briones and Felipe
Tapia families. His great grandmother, Petra
Rafaela de Jesus Ramirez, was
born 23 October 1841 at Mission San Juan Bautista to Ysidora
Pliego (AKA Jalapa,
Halapa)
y Briones and
Pascual
(Pasqual) Ramirez. Rafaela's
brother, Jose,
died and was buried on 26 September 1844 at Santa Clara Mission. Has anyone ever
seen the name Pascual
Ramirez? Pascual
died and was buried in January 1844 at Mission Dolores. Since Petra's
ancestors were Mission soldiers, I am wondering if Pascual
was a descendant of a mission soldier. Rafaela's
mother's father was named Jose
Narciso de la Encarnacion Pliego. Has anyone ever seen the
name Pliego?
We would very much appreciate any information or advise you might give. Thank
you. [Machado (nonmember)]

Respuesta a Pregunta 181 - 9 February 2008

This is concerning Pregunta 181 - 21 February 2004 and
Pregunta 181 follow up - 2 March 2004

I have reason to believe that the young girl living in the household of Jose S Berry Messa (Berryessa)
named Mariano, in the
1860 census in Contra Costa County, was the missing sister of my husband's
great grandmother Rafella (Ramirez akaJalapa) Moore.
Rafaella (Ramirez aka Jalapa) Moore
is in the 1870 census in Contra Costa Co,. in the same Township as Mariano.
Both Rafaela and Mariano/a, were
living with their mother Ysidora/Isadora Jalapa at Mission Dolores in 1846. We are still trying to find any of Rafaella's
daughter's birth or baptismal records. All of the daughters must have been
born in Contra Costa Co. We are also still looking for a marriage record for
Rafaella Ramirez
and James Moore. Raphella grew up
in Mayfield Calif., before moving to the Martinez/Pinole area of Contra Costa
Co. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you. [Machado (nonmember), Calif.]

Pregunta 181 follow up - 2 March 2004

I have a follow-up query on Pregunta #181 above. Petra
Rafaela De Jesus Ramirez became an orphan at the age of nine
because her father, Pascual
Ramirez, and her mother, Ysidora
Pliego (AKA Jalapa,
Halapa)
y Briones,
were both dead and buried at Mission Dolores by 1850. According to Petra
Rafaela's daughter,
Ellen (Moore) Machado's death certificate, as a child Rafaela
was living in the area that was to later become Mayfield. Petra
Rafaela married
James Moore (we do not know where) and Ellen
Moore was born in the Pinole area (we do not know where) in
1861. In the 1870 census we found (Petra)
Rafaela and
James Moore along with daughters Ellen,
Clemencia,
and Isadora
living in the San Pablo area( Contra Costa, Co.) in the Martinez post office
district. By the 1880 census the family had moved to Castroville, Calif.
My question is, does anyone have any information for the Mayfield/Pinole area
that shows a Petra
Rafaela or a Rafaela
Ramirez living in a household prior to 1860? Any help would be
most greatly appreciated. Thank you. [Machado (nonmember)]

Respuesta a Pregunta 181 - 21 February 2004

Marie Northrop's Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California: 1769-1850,
Vol. I, has the following information on pp. 87-88. In 1813 Maria
Agueda (Agatha) Briones married first Jose
Narciso de la Encarnacion Pliego. In 1821 she married Francisco
Lisalde. Maria
Agueda was the sixth child (second daughter) of Marcos
Joseph Briones [born about 1757 at San Luis Potosí, México
of Vicente
Briones and Maria
Antonia de Padron; died December 1841 at Monterey, Alta
California] and Maria
Isidora Tapia [born about 1771 at Culiacán, México of Felipe
Santiago Tapia and Maria
Filomena Hernandez; died about 1812 at Santa Cruz]. They were
married 27 September 1784 at Mission San Carlos de Monterey and had a total of
13 children. Felipe
Tapia came in the 1776 Anza Expedition. Marcos
Briones came with his father to Alta California in 1771; invalido
at Branciforte in 1791-1880; comisionado at Branciforte in 1812; living
at San José in 1804-1841. [Benita Gray (member), San Diego, Calif.]

To submit a
question or respond to a question,
please fill
out the form below and click submit.
If you are responding to a question,
please include the Pregunta number.